B2 vocabulary: technology, the internet and social media

Q: Is it 'on the internet' or 'in the internet'?

**On the internet** and **online**: *I found it on the internet.* We also say *on social media*, *on a website* and *on my phone*.

Q: What is the difference between 'technology' and 'technique'?

**Technology** is machines, devices and scientific knowledge used in practice. A **technique** is a particular method or skill: *a new technique for learning vocabulary*.

Q: Which technology phrasal verbs are most useful for FCE?

*Log in/out*, *back up*, *set up*, *keep up with*, *break down*, *sign up for* and *turn on/off* are all common. Practise them with our [phrasal verb trainer](/tools/phrasal-verb-trainer/).

Q: How do I avoid sounding repetitive when writing about technology?

Vary your nouns (*devices, gadgets, smartphones*), use word families (*technology, technological, technologically*) and use precise verbs (*scroll, stream, post*) instead of repeating *use*.

B2 technology vocabulary helps you talk about devices, the internet and the effects of technology on daily life, using collocations such as download an app, go viral and screen time. This page is part of our B2 vocabulary guide and gives you 48 items with original examples, false friends to avoid and exam-style practice.

By Eleanor BennettLast updated: 13 October 2026

Talking about technology at B2 level

Technology is everywhere in the exam: an essay on whether teenagers spend too much time online, a Speaking Part 3 task about inventions that changed people's lives, or a reading text about a robot that works in a hospital. You probably use technology every day in your own language, but the English words are often different, and many of them are phrasal verbs (log in, back up, keep up with).

The groups below go from concrete (devices and actions) to abstract (effects on society). Afterwards, look at media and entertainment vocabulary for streaming and news, and relationships vocabulary for how technology affects friendships.

Technology vocabulary: words and collocations

Use it to…	Phrases
Nouns: devices and the internet	device / gadget – My grandfather loves new gadgets. mobile (phone) / smartphone (British) – I left my mobile on the bus. laptop / tablet / desktop (computer) – I write my essays on a laptop. app / software / update – The latest update fixed the battery problem. password / account – Never share your password with anyone. screen time – time spent looking at screens. Parents often limit their children's screen time. search engine / browser – I typed the question into a search engine. social media / platform – Which platform do teenagers use most? privacy / data – Many people worry about online privacy. artificial intelligence (AI) – AI can now translate whole websites instantly.
Verbs and verb collocations	download / upload – I uploaded the photos and my friends downloaded them. install / delete an app – I deleted three apps I never used. charge your phone / the battery – My battery is dead; I need to charge it. browse the internet / scroll through – I scrolled through my feed for an hour. post / share / comment on – She posted a video and hundreds of people commented on it. go viral – spread very quickly online. His cooking video went viral overnight. hack (into) – Someone hacked into my email account. stream – We streamed the match on a laptop. store / save files (in the cloud) – All my notes are stored in the cloud. invent → invention → inventor – The printing press was a revolutionary invention.
Phrasal verbs	log in / log out (of) – Remember to log out of shared computers. back up – make a copy of data. Back up your photos before you update the phone. turn on / turn off / switch off – Turn off notifications while you study. plug in / unplug – Unplug the charger when you're not using it. keep up with – stay informed about. It's hard to keep up with new technology. break down – stop working. The printer broke down just before the deadline. set up – prepare for use. My brother set up the new router for us. sign up (for) – register. I signed up for a free trial.
Adjectives and word families	technology → technological → technologically – technological progress user-friendly – easy to use. The new app is much more user-friendly. cutting-edge / state-of-the-art – the most modern. a state-of-the-art laboratory outdated / obsolete – no longer modern or useful. addict → addiction → addictive → addicted (to) – Some games are designed to be addictive. rely → reliable → reliability / unreliable – The Wi-Fi here is very unreliable. wireless – wireless headphones innovate → innovation → innovative – an innovative way to teach maths digital / online / offline – I try to spend one day a week offline. secure / security – Use a secure password with numbers and symbols.
Useful phrases for discussing technology	be glued to your screen / phone (informal) – My little brother is glued to his tablet. a double-edged sword – something with both good and bad effects. make life easier – Online banking has made life much easier for many people. be (constantly) connected – Being constantly connected can be exhausting. cyberbullying – bullying online. fake news / misinformation – false information presented as fact. the digital divide – the gap between people with and without access to technology. a digital detox – a period without devices. face-to-face – Nothing replaces a face-to-face conversation. move with the times – accept new ways of doing things.

False friends and confusing pairs in technology vocabulary

Trap: I forgot my Handy at home. (German Handy)
Fix: In English say mobile (phone) or phone. Handy in English means useful: This app is really handy.
Trap: I wrote it on my notebook. (Italian, Spanish and Greek speakers often use notebook for a laptop)
Fix: A notebook is usually a paper book for notes. The computer is a laptop.
Trap: I study informatics. (Spanish informática, Italian informatica, Polish informatyka, German Informatik)
Fix: The usual British English term is computer science or IT.
Trap: Let me control my emails. (Italian controllare, Spanish controlar, German kontrollieren)
Fix: Say check: Let me check my emails. Control means to have power over something.
Trap: The technique has changed our lives. (Italian tecnica, Greek techniki, German Technik)
Fix: Say technology. A technique is a way of doing something: a breathing technique.
Trap: I'm addicted of my phone.
Fix: The preposition is to: addicted to my phone.
Trap: Can you lend me your charger? I need to load my phone. (German laden, Polish ładować)
Fix: The verb is charge: I need to charge my phone.

Use it in the exam: Speaking Part 4

Technology questions in Speaking Part 4 usually invite a balanced view: technology makes life easier, but it also creates new problems. Phrases such as a double-edged sword or on the plus side help you organise that balance. More practice is in our Part 4 question bank.

Sample Part 4 answer: technology

Examiner: Do you think young people spend too much time on their phones?

In many cases, yes. I've noticed that when my friends and I meet up, at least one person is always scrolling through social media instead of talking. Apps are designed to be addictive, so it isn't only a question of willpower. On the plus side, phones help us keep up with the news and stay in touch with people who live far away, so I wouldn't say they're bad in themselves. I think the answer is to turn off notifications and maybe have a digital detox now and then. I tried it for a weekend and actually enjoyed it.

Why it works

Answers directly ('In many cases, yes') and supports it with a personal observation.
Uses vocabulary from this page: scrolling through, addictive, keep up with, turn off notifications, digital detox.
Balances the argument with 'On the plus side'.
Ends with a solution and a brief personal experience.

Technology questions for speaking practice

Answer each question aloud for 30 to 45 seconds, giving both an advantage and a disadvantage where you can.

Technology

Which invention has changed people's lives the most in the last fifty years?
Should children under twelve have their own smartphones?
Do you think robots and AI will take many people's jobs?
Is it a good idea for schools to replace books with tablets?
How has technology changed the way people make friends?
Do you worry about your privacy online?
Could you live without the internet for a week? Why (not)?
Are older people being left behind by technology?

B2 technology vocabulary: FAQ

Is it 'on the internet' or 'in the internet'?

On the internet and online: I found it on the internet. We also say on social media, on a website and on my phone.

What is the difference between 'technology' and 'technique'?

Technology is machines, devices and scientific knowledge used in practice. A technique is a particular method or skill: a new technique for learning vocabulary.

Is 'social media' singular or plural?

It is usually treated as an uncountable singular noun in everyday English: Social media is very popular with teenagers. Plural verbs are also possible, but be consistent.

Which technology phrasal verbs are most useful for FCE?

Log in/out, back up, set up, keep up with, break down, sign up for and turn on/off are all common. Practise them with our phrasal verb trainer.

How do I avoid sounding repetitive when writing about technology?

Vary your nouns (devices, gadgets, smartphones), use word families (technology, technological, technologically) and use precise verbs (scroll, stream, post) instead of repeating use.